Missionary Gas

Black holes are encountered by physicists and by Christians. Jeremiah and King Solomon met theirs. Our cleaning lady, Doña Marleny, met hers when two men said they were going to kill her only son. I hit mine last week with our visas about to expire and, despite much prayer, our missionary future uncertain. Since January we'd been looking forward to settling in one home on the mission field; and buying a fridge that didn't leak and a bed that didn't bend our backs. We'd suggested to the Missions Board that this be in the Medellín Seminary. For 5 months now the matter of where we'd be best to stay has been under their consideration with little progress being made. This is understandable since they're dealing with such oddballs, but it meant our emotional resistance was eroded to vanishing point. In the case of Doña Marleny she prayed that God would either convert the men or remove them. The next day one was imprisoned and the followin...

There's an interesting quiz, Which theologian are you? But am a bit surprised at my results: Anselm 100% Friedrich Schleiermacher 87% Martin Luther 73% John Calvin 67% Karl Barth 60% J?Moltmann 53% Augustine 40% Paul Tillich 33% Jonathan Edwards 33% Charles Finney 0%

San Andrés is one of Colombia's islands half way to Jamaica. It takes 2 hours to get there by plane and is a popular holiday resort with its white beaches, warm seas and duty-free goods. Historically, the area is connected with pirates, the rum trade and evangelicalism. One boat load of Pilgrim Fathers landed nearby after being blown off course and they called their island "Providence" which is still it's name today. On Sunday we went into the interior and joined the indigenous population in the oldest Baptist church. Certain things took us by surprise: The language used was Caribbean English ("De Laard es zo gud, man!") with asides in unintelligible, to us, Creole. Spanish culture, language and religion are foreign impositions. Could this be the preachers' heaven? The 400 strong congregation applauded when a telling application or a good theological point was made. There were 3 preachers and 3 sermons in the one service and it d...

Semester finished on Friday. Hundreds of essays have been marked, and the poorer students have found reality an unbelievable experience. The last day of semester is celebrated by teachers and students in a new coalition. Olwen prepared breakfast for 25, at coffee time 13 arrived with a TV for the football, and we were invited out for lunch although this meant 20 in our flat who then ordered a chicken and rice carry-out. End of semester also means that a persistent visitor to the flat isn't under such pressure to leave. He's an 11 year old boy, Jairo, one of the twin sons of a seminary cleaner. Frankly I regard him as a real pest, but my more Christian wife makes a great fuss of him. One of the annoying things I find is that he goes to the toilet every 5 minutes. I'm now convinced he's addicted to the liquid soap dispenser. Other new things he's experienced have been jigsaws, dominos and selling trinkets at an inflated price to a nice foreig...

Saturday night was a terrible night. The repetitive dance music started at 10 pm, by midnight the sound was so loud it had become distorted and by 8.30 am I was ready to machine gun the house concerned. Next door to the Seminary's residential blocks is a passage way of houses which has been a place of drugs, criminals and death. For years every weekend its mega-decibel music saturated every room. Then about a year ago all went quiet. Well, apart from the odd incident of backsliding, like Saturday night. The change has involved a variety of factors, including bravely petitioning the police. One contribution in improving Seminary-local community relations has been made by the ladies of the Women for Mission in Scotland. A year ago they raised funds for a children's library in the Seminary and now 100 youngsters are enrolled. They come from the immediate area, including the passage way. It's been an educational achievement recognized with apprec...